Displaying traffic flow data representing traffic conditions

ABSTRACT

An article of manufacture for displaying traffic flow data representing traffic conditions on a road system includes creating a graphical map of the road system which includes one or more segments. The status of each segment on the graphical map is determined such that the status of each segment corresponds to the traffic flow data associated with that segment. An animated traffic flow map of the road system is created by combining the graphical map and the status of each segment.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of copending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/528,730 filed Sep. 28, 2006 entitled “Article of Manufacturefor Displaying Traffic Flow Data Representing Traffic Conditions,” whichis a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/447,530 filedMay 29, 2003 entitled “Method of Displaying Traffic Flow DataRepresenting Traffic Conditions,” now U.S. Pat. No. 7,116,326. Theentire disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/528,730 and10/447,530 are incorporated herein by reference.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/408,652 filed Sep. 6, 2002 and entitled “Method ofProducing Animated Television Graphics For Displaying Real-Time TrafficConditions.”

COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

This patent application includes an Appendix on one compact disc havinga file named appendix.txt, created on May 28, 2003, and having a size of1,748,579 bytes. The compact disc is incorporated by reference into thepresent patent application.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND AUTHORIZATION

Portions of the documentation in this patent document contain materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rightswhatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to methods for graphicallydisplaying traffic information for television broadcast, and morespecifically to utilizing real-time traffic flow data to graphicallydisplay animated images representing that traffic flow data.

Graphics used in displaying traffic information to a broadcasttelevision or cable audience are well known in the art. Generally, theseare static graphics manually placed on a background static map or placedon a web page, which is rendered into a NTSC or similar signal forbroadcast television. FIG. 1 depicts an example of such a systempresently used to convey traffic information on television using a flatmap. Television announcers use flat static maps containing trafficinformation as backdrops to talk over and convey traffic conditions.

Another known system is designed and utilized by Mobility Technologies,Inc., which converts real-time traffic flow data from a proprietarysystem into a color coded static web image graphic such as a GIF, orJPEG format. This graphic image is retrieved over the Internet or asimilar connection by a television station, which then renders thestatic web image into a broadcast signal such as NTSC. FIG. 2 shows anexample of such a system presently used by Mobility Technologies toconvey traffic flow data. In FIG. 2, traffic flow data is depicted withdifferent status colors to represent current road conditions. The statuscolors (i.e., green, yellow, red) represent the traffic flow data for aparticular portion, or segment of roadway. Although this data resultsfrom real-time traffic flow data, it is limited to a static display ofcolors with no motion to depict current road conditions. The statuscolors cannot change in real-time as actual road conditions changebecause a static web image must initially be created from the trafficflow data.

However, the method utilized by Mobility Technologies, as well as theother known methods of graphically displaying traffic information, havevarious disadvantages. The most significant disadvantage is that thegraphical image of the traffic flow is static. That is, the graphic issimply a picture (sometimes in color) of a pre-existing traffic flowmap, which is then placed on television. As such, the image is notvisually appealing. The traffic flow map does not provide an automatedor animated, real-time representation of the actual, current trafficconditions at the instant the image is broadcast over the televisionnetwork. Furthermore, the background graphic images used to create thetraffic flow map tend to have very large file sizes, even though theamount of actual traffic data which is changing in real-time is quitesmall in comparison to overall file size of the traffic flow map.Therefore, the transport of the image data containing the traffic flowmap from the web page to the television network results in large datatransport inefficiencies. Additionally, because the rendered trafficgraphic is a static, raster-based image, there is presently no easymethod to override an individual traffic flow segment (i.e., a discreteportion of a roadway) shown on the traffic flow map in the case of anerror, or just for visual purposes of TV broadcasting.

SUMMARY

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by significantlyimproving the current methods of producing and providing trafficinformation. One aspect of the present invention provides a televisionor cable station with a traffic flow map that visually shows an animatedgraphic of the traffic conditions on one or more roadways in and arounda metropolitan area. The traffic flow map is automatically generatedfrom real-time traffic flow data, and continually changes in real-timeas the actual, current traffic conditions change.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a data streamcontaining traffic flow data (for example, speed, volume and density)which has parameters that allow it to be input into a third partygraphics engine to produce corresponding color coded animated trafficflow on the traffic flow map.

Another aspect of the present invention provides an override capability,such that if there is a technical or visual error with the traffic flowdata displayed, the end producer of the TV broadcast product is able toredefine the traffic flow map on a segment-by-segment basis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more fully understood from the detaileddescription given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which aregiven by way of illustration only and are not to be considered aslimiting the present invention.

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a static traffic flow map according to a method of displayingtraffic information generally known in the art;

FIG. 2 is a static color coded traffic flow map according to anothermethod of displaying traffic information generally known in the art;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of the traffic flow data system according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an animated, color coded traffic flow map according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an animated, color coded traffic flow map according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a table depicting an example from sensor to segment trafficflow data at time To according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an animated, color coded traffic flow map according to theexample representation of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a table depicting an example from sensor to segment trafficflow data at time T₁ according to the embodiment of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is an animated, color coded traffic flow map according to theexample representation of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a method for supplying aggregated,real-time traffic flow data into a third-party graphical engine toproduce real-time, animated, broadcast quality, traffic reports totelevision and cable stations. Those skilled in the art will recognizethat the traffic reports may also be rendered for satellite broadcast.

Embodiments of the present invention are described by way thearchitectural diagram shown in FIG. 3, and the software code base thatwas utilized during development of the present invention. A copy of thesoftware code is attached as “Appendix”. Those of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that the collection of digital real-time traffic datais generally know in the art, and is omitted from the presentdisclosure, as well as the attached code, for simplicity, and should notbe considered limiting. Additionally, the attached code is dependent onthe following known technologies:

-   -   1. Java 2 SDK version 1.3    -   2. J2EE version 1.3 Application Server    -   3. Xerces version 1    -   4. Xalan version 1    -   5. Oracle JDBC version 8.1.7

Referring to FIG. 3, the present invention provides a means to sendreal-time changes of traffic flow data to the third-party graphicalengine (potentially located within a broadcast station) using a uniquedata format (described in the attached code). In one preferredembodiment, the traffic flow data is transmitted directly from the datarendering server to the broadcast station. The traffic flow dataincludes graphical information related to the actual sensor and/orsegment data which the graphical engine uses to create a traffic flowmap. Since only the changing real-time traffic flow data is transmittedto the graphical engine, the present invention provides very efficienttransfer of the traffic flow data.

Upon the collection of real-time traffic flow data, the presentinvention allows television stations to integrate a real-time data feedof current traffic conditions to produce animated, color coded graphicsthat convey travel speeds, volume, congestion (density) along a givensection of roadway, or over an entire metropolitan road network. Thetraffic flow data, representing the current traffic conditions, iscombined with a customized look and feel to create the traffic flow map.Color coded, moving graphics, which follow the actual roadway for whichthe traffic flow data is being provided, complete the traffic flow mapso that an the end user sees an accurate, graphical, color codedrepresentation of current traffic conditions which reflect real-timechanges in the traffic flow (see FIG. 4). FIG. 5 shows an example of atraffic flow map for an entire metropolitan area. Thus, the graphics onthe traffic flow map not only represent current traffic information, butalso show changes in real-time as actual traffic conditions change.

The traffic flow data provided to the third-party graphical engineallows for automatic animation of the traffic flow conditions whendisplayed by the graphical engine to the television viewer. Theanimation is designed to show the movement of cars (or similar graphicalrepresentations) in the exact segment of the highway to which thatparticular traffic flow data refers. The animation is geographicallylocated on the traffic flow map to correspond to the geographicallocation of the particular road segment. The animation is representativeof the current actual speed, volume, and density within that segment.The cars on the traffic flow map move within a segment on the map at arate representative of the actual roadway speed for that segment. Thenumber of cars on that segment of the map represents the actual volumeof cars in that segment. The color of a particular segment and the carswithin it represents the current density of that segment. The ability toprovide this level of detail for animation is based on specificparameters provided in the traffic flow data that is input into thegraphical engine.

Another unique aspect is that the traffic flow data provided to thegraphical engine (and thus the traffic flow map) also allows for theinput of incident information such as an “over turned car” or “two caraccident” as well as traditional flow data (speed, volume and density).Incident information can subsequently be integrated into the trafficflow map to further indicate the real-time traffic conditions in aparticular roadway segment.

FIGS. 6-9 illustrate an example of the present invention. The table ofFIG. 6 depicts the initial state (at time T₀) of a collection of sensorswhich monitor traffic flow for I-95 NB. The column for the ‘Sensor Id’contains a unique identifier for each sensor. The ‘Location’ is atextual description of the location of the corresponding sensor. The‘Direction’ is the direction of travel the corresponding sensor ismonitoring. The ‘Raw Data’ is the last reading of the raw speed data,broken down by lane. The ‘Processed Data’ is a direction-based speedvalue associated with the corresponding sensor. For the purposes of thisexample, the Processed Data is an average of the three raw data lanes.In the actual real-time system, the Processed Data is a fairlycomplicated calculation of current speed readings by lane, historicaldata, volume and occupancy. Finally, the ‘Segment Feed’ is the finaloutput that is sent to the Graphics Workstation for processing of thetraffic flow data. The ‘Segment Id’ is a unique identifier for thesegment being illustrated by the graphics engine and the ‘Value’ is avalue representing the state of the segment, where 0 is equivalent togreen (fast moving vehicles having a speed >40 MPH), 1 is equivalent toyellow (moderate moving cars having a speed from 20-40 MPH), and 2 isequivalent to red (very slow moving cars having a speed <20 MPH).

Note that in this example there are three segments that are in theyellow, moderate congestion state (ids 1007, 1009, 1013) and one segmentis in the red, heavy congestion state (id 1008). The remaining threesegments are in a free-flow, green state. This final data is representedin the end product in FIG. 7. As time changes to T₁ the sensor valueschange based on the current traffic conditions, represented by the tableof FIG. 8. Note that the state changes are reflected from the sensordata, from the real-time data collection of the sensors. The highlightedlines of FIG. 8 reflect sensors that have changed state from time T₀ totime T₁. This state change is reflected in the end product view in FIG.9.

The present invention may be implemented with any combination ofhardware and software. If implemented as a computer-implementedapparatus, the present invention is implemented using means forperforming all of the steps and functions described above.

The present invention may be implemented with any combination ofhardware and software. The present invention can be included in anarticle of manufacture (e.g., one or more computer program products)having, for instance, computer useable media. The media has embodiedtherein, for instance, computer readable program code means forproviding and facilitating the mechanisms of the present invention. Thearticle of manufacture can be included as part of a computer system orsold separately.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could bemade to the embodiments described above without departing from the broadinventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that thisinvention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but itis intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A method of displaying traffic flow data representing trafficconditions, comprising: receiving traffic flow data associated withmovement of vehicles traveling in a first direction and a seconddirection on a road; and creating a traffic flow map using the trafficflow data, wherein the traffic flow map includes an animated graphicthat represents the movement of the vehicles traveling in the firstdirection distinctly from the movement of the vehicles traveling in thesecond direction.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprisingpresenting the traffic flow map in a television traffic report.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the traffic flow map further includesincident information.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the animatedgraphic moves at a rate associated with the movement of the vehicles. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein the animated graphic is color coded torepresent density of the vehicles on the road.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the animated graphic includes vehicle images.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein a number of the vehicle images in the animated graphicis representative of volume of the vehicles on the road.
 8. A method ofdisplaying traffic flow data representing traffic conditions,comprising: receiving traffic flow data; automatically generating atraffic flow map with the traffic flow data, wherein the traffic flowmap includes moving images to represent traffic conditions on at least aportion of a roadway.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the traffic flowdata includes a segment identifier for a segment and value associatedwith a state of the segment.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein agraphical engine automatically generates the traffic flow map.
 11. Themethod of claim 8, wherein the moving images include vehicle images. 12.The method of claim 8, wherein the traffic flow map further includesincident information.
 13. A traffic flow map representing trafficconditions on a road system, comprising: a graphical map of a roadsystem; and animated images located on the graphical map representingspeed, volume, and density of traffic flow on at least a portion of theroad system.
 14. The traffic flow map of claim 13, wherein the animatedimages move at a rate representative of the speed of the traffic flow.15. The traffic flow map of claim 13, wherein a number of the animatedimages located on the graphical map represent the volume of the trafficflow.
 16. The traffic flow map of claim 13, wherein the animated imagesare color coded to represent the density of the traffic flow.
 17. Atraffic flow map representing traffic conditions on a road system,comprising: a graphical map of a road network; and an animated graphiclocated on the graphical map that represents traffic flow of vehiclestraveling on at least a portion of the road network, wherein theanimated graphic distinguishes between the traffic flow in a firstdirection and the traffic flow in a second direction for at least oneroad in the road network.
 18. The traffic flow map of claim 17, whereinthe animated graphic includes vehicle images and a first portion of thevehicle images move in the first direction on the at least one road anda second portion of the vehicle images move in the second direction onthe at least one road.
 19. The traffic flow map of claim 17, wherein theanimated graphic represents speed, volume, and density of the trafficflow of the vehicles traveling on the at least a portion of the roadnetwork.
 20. The traffic flow map of claim 17, further includingincident information located on the graphical map.